Fall (is) Back

Northwoods Journal
Saturday, November 01, 2014

The blue jays were waiting on the platform feeder when I pulled the kitchen curtains back at 7:45 this morning. I could tell by the light in the sky that it was going to be a more fall-like day today, rather than the pre-winter we had yesterday!

All the regular birds arrived for breakfast – blue jays, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker, two hairy woodpeckers, the red-bellied woodpecker, and at least one tufted titmouse. I really think there was only one, hanging out with a small flock of chickadees. I didn’t get any bird photos today though but I did get a few pictures of the black morph squirrels that took over the yard. There were at least four of them at one time.

One sitting in the tree.

One sitting on a log.

One rooting through the leaves.

Braving the cold, Mark fired up the Coleman stove to fry up some bacon and I made French toast. Mark got apple cinnamon bread and I had pumpkin spice bread. Yum! After breakfast I showered and dressed and then we bundled up to take the dogs for a hike. Even though the sun was shining, it was still a frosty 30 degrees!

Mark drove down to Sportsmen’s Dam where the trail is still a giant wreck from the logging trucks, even though the logging is done now. It just isn’t the same hiking back there with all the devastation. We didn’t see anything of interest on our hike, but I did take a few fall landscape shots of the trees that the loggers left standing. There was still some snow in the shady and low spots.

A rather stark fall landscape.

With the dogs satisfied with their hike, we decided to drive over to Gaylord and do some shopping. The idea was to maybe do some Christmas shopping, but we managed to spend nearly $100 and didn’t buy a single Christmas gift. I did replenish my bird seed supply though, since the blue jays have been devouring (hoarding) every morsel I put out on the platform. We ate lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and then made the long drive home.

Mark walked through our woods to the clear-cut area behind our property to scope it out for hunting in a couple of weeks. The only “good” thing to come out of all this logging is that maybe he will be able to deer hunt without having to drive very far and being worried about finding a spot that isn’t on top of ten other hunters.

The sun was still shining and the dogs were anxious for another hike, so we loaded them up and drove over to Lookout Ridge. I always like getting pictures of the view from the top at different times of the year. It will always be one of my favorite views.

Looking east from the top of the ridge. Our cabin is on the other side of the hills in the distance.

I love the white birch tree!

Especially when I can enjoy it with my favorite guy.

Mark and the beagles.

The three-quarters moon was big and bright so I managed a couple photos of it, too.

Daytime moon.

Daytime moon framed by bare branches.

One more, because I liked this one the best, and I don’t have many photos to put in today’s journal post. 🙂

Fabulous fall moon.

We tramped around the ridge for a bit until we wore ourselves out, if not the dogs.

A bit of rusty fall color clings to the trees.

Unfortunately, as we drove home I got a panicked call from my stepmom. There was some sort of emergency going on with my dad and I am 250 miles away. I was able to get ahold of my sister and then waited anxiously to hear if everything was okay.  Thankfully I heard from her a couple hours later to assure me that all is well.  My dad is 87 and in failing health and my sister thinks he is depressed and losing his sense of purpose.

Mark wanted to start on a new jigsaw puzzle so that helped keep my mind off things as I waited to hear word about my dad.  It’s a cute fishing themed puzzle and should give us a good challenge.

We have to “fall back” tonight so I have to try and stay up a bit later.  Hopefully I will adjust okay to the time change and not experience the seasonal depression that usually cloaks me in lethargy and fatigue at this time of year.  I have already decided if I begin to feel SAD coming on, I am going to invest in a happy lamp.

Our long weekend has gone all too quickly and we have to head home tomorrow.  I’m sorry this post is a bit boring.  Not too much adventuring going on this weekend, I guess!